Tucholke is a gorgeous writer.' -Laini Taylor, New York Times-bestselling author of Strange the Dreamer 'Fierce and glorious, this story of outcast girls defying fate utterly bewitched me. Her alternate Scandinavia is a land of powerful magics and eerie landscapes, bloodlust and genuine, deep friendships, that is full of foreboding, menace and eventual (though not unfettered) glory.' - Shelf Awareness

'April Genevieve Tucholke's genderbent Beowulf is as dark and quietly mysterious as the fantastical winter in which it takes place. A dark and vivid story, with what-happens-next? momentum.' -The Horn Book This is the quiet force behind a plot of conquest and adventure, and of the diverse religions, cultures, terrains, and tales that make up Tucholke’s invented world. Bodily closeness, a shared quest for justice, and sheer joy in physical capacity are only part of it: collaboration and attentive respect are the true underpinning of Tucholke’s creation. 'Frey’s earnest narrative voice creates a strong sense of the center of this fantasy: female solidarity. Versus vengeance, and the value of glory.' - Booklist 'his story heroically contemplates female strength and agency, compassion There is room in this world for more than one epic, and we can hope that Tucholke will return to it to tell us more about this ongoing feud.' - NPR.org 'It's easy to call this a gender-swapped retelling of the epic Beowulf, but that fails to convey its true charm. These fierce, honorable adolescent female warriors hold their own and break all the rules. 'Narrator and protagonist Frey is quite unusual among female heroes: hungry for glory - bloodthirsty, even. VERDICT An excellent choice for any YA fantasy collections.' - School Library Journal, starred review

This is a must-have for avid fantasy readers who enjoy action-packed plots. Fans of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings will find similar themes and elements. 'Frey embodies the pursuit of glory through quest to become a hero remembered in story and myth. It is a beautiful, haunting modern-day epic that stars a bold and resourceful sisterhood of heroines unafraid to claim agency.' -Publishers Weekly, starred review 'Tucholke injects close intimacy into her lush saga, interweaving love and murder, mercy and glory into her portrayal of life and death. A dynamic critique of the hero's journey: Who is granted honor and glory, and at what cost does it come?' -The New York Times Book Review ' The Boneless Mercies feels like a cathartic war cry advocating for the power of girls and women. *A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year*

The mercies paperback